Maecus hekry eobb



(No Model.)

M. H. ROBB.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 309,097. Patented Dec. 9,1884.

A llnrrnn S'rarhs Parana Orricn.

MARCUS HENRY ROBE, OF OAK RIDGE, MISSOURI.

Flea-Escape.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,097, dated December 9, 1884.

Application filed October 16, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mnnoos H. Born, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Ridge, in the county of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to fireescapes, and it has for its object to provide improved means for making the same and regulating the speed of the descent of the user; to provide improved means for preventing the rope, apparatus, or person using the same from coming in contact with the building when a descent is being made, and to so pivot the brake or lever within the casing by means of a spring-bolt that it may be readily removed when so desired or found necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide at a slight cost a fire-escape which shall combine simplicity of construction with efficiency and durability in use.

WVith these ends in view the invention consists in the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted brake or lever and a rope connecting said casing andlever, and also connected to and holding the user so that the speed of descent will be controlled by the weight of the operator.

The invention further consists in the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted lever and a spring-pressed catch for holding said lever in place.

The invention further consists in the con1-,

ofthevarious parts,hereinafterfully described,

and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire-escape constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same applied and in position for descent, also showing the brace for holding the rope, operator, and apparatus from contact with the building while making a descent. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation; and Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of parts detached.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A represents a casing,one of the sides of which is open,as shown at a, and also open at its upper and lower end.

In the closed side of the casing A, about midway between the two ends, is provided a hole or opening, b, in which hole or opening is journaled a roller, 0, which extends a slight distance within said casing A.

0 represents a lever or brake,which is pivoted within the casing A, at the upper end thereof, by means of a spring bolt or key, d. By the use of this spring bolt or key the lever C may, when desired or found necessary, be readily detached from the casing with but little trouble and a very slight expenditure of time.

At about the center of the lever O is provided an enlarged portion, D, which is recessed or cut away, and in said recessed portion is journaled a roller, 0, which, when the leveris closed or within the casing, is in close proX- imity to the roller journaled in the side of the casing. At the point within the casing where the enlarged portion enters said casing is cut away to receive it,- as shown at f, this re cess being necessary, inasmuch as the enlarged portion issomewhat wider than the passage of the casing. Thus it will be seen that when said lever is closed there will be a passage between it and the rear wall of the casing for the passage of the rope upon which the casing slides in making a descent, the rope passing between the two rollers already described. There is also a groove formed on the rear end of the casing, near the upper end thereof, and a similar groove is also provided on the lever or brake on its inner side, near its upper end, as shown at g.

Adjacent to the lower end of the enlarged portion D is secured by any suitable means a rope, h. Upon the closed side of the casing, within the same,and a slight distance from its lower en d,is journaled a pulley, i, the shaft of which has bearing in the sides of the casing. Upon the handle of the brake or lever, on the inside of the same, is pivoted in a bracket, j,

a roller or pulley, k. The rope h, already mentioned, has a catch or snap-hook secured to its free end, and said free end is passed underneath the pulley z and then up and over the pulley 70, passing between said pulley and the end of the handle Z of the lever O, and is guided and held in place by said end of the handle,which extends below the pulley and is provided with a groove. The bracket 9', which fits around the lower end of the lever O, and in which the pulley k is journaled, has a slot, Which slot extends nearly the entire length of said bracket. A set-screw, m, secures said bracket in place, from which it will be seen that said bracket may be vertically adjusted. Said set-screw also secures in place a flat spring, a, the purpose of which will be here inafter mentioned.

Hinged to the open side of the casing A is a catch or latch, 0, the free end of which is bent inwardly and engages a recessed portion on the opposite side of the casing, thus holding the lever within the casing and preventing it from flying out. It will be seen that by making the pulley 7c adjustable the power or weight required to draw the two levers together can be regulated by adjusting said pulley 70. By the use of the flat spring a, which is depressed to a certain extent by the latch or catch 0, and serves to press or hold the lever 0 within the casing, roller e and roller 0 will be in close proximity upon the'rope on which the descent is made, and will be pressed together thereon with sufficient force to support the instrument in its place until the weight or person is attached. Upon the front side of the casing, near the lower end thereof, is provided a diagonal slot, 12, terminating at its upper end in an enlarged opening. In this enlarged opening is journaled a roller, g, which extends within the casing A, and serves as a guide for the rope while a descent is being made. Pivoted to the side of the casing is a catch, 0*, of substantially L shape.

When a descent is to be made,the escape is adjusted as shown in Fig. 1, and the user at-' tached by any preferred arrangement of straps and bands to the rope h. As already described, the weight of the operator serves to draw the lever further within the casing, and in this manner the descent is regulated, inasmuch as the weight draws the rollers of the lever and casing in close contact. Should the descent be too rapid, it may be controlled or slowed by. pressing the handles of the lever and casing together, while if the descent were too gradual it might be increased by grasping the top of the casing with the hand and supporting' part of the weight thereby, thus removing a portion of the weigh-t from the rope h, which, as already described, by .being attached to pulleys of the casing and lever, controls the speed of descent.

A fire,escape constructed as above described is simple, effective, and durable, and may be manufactured and supplied at a slight cost. Further, by its use the speed of descent may be controlled by the user.

I have mentioned a brace or guard for preventing the rope, apparatus, or person using the same from coming in contact with the building while a descent is being made. This brace or guard consists of a bar hinged to the building and having a forked or U-shaped end, in which the rope rests. This brace or guard is held in ahorizontal position by means ofa stop or spring.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted lever, and a rope attached to said lever at one end and connecting said lever and casing, for controlling the speed of descent, substantially as set. forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted lever, a rope attached to said lever at one end, and connect ing said lever and casing, and straps or bands for the support of the user, attached to said rope, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing having a suitably-journaled roller, of a lever carrying a roller, and pivoted within said casing, and a rope connecting said lever and easing, whereby the speed of descent is regulated, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a the inner side of the casing near its lower end,

a pulley journaled near the lower end of the lever, and a rope secured to said lever passing under the pulley of the casing and over that of the lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted lever, said casing and lever each carrying a suitably-journaled roller, a pulley journaled near the lower end of the casing, a vertically-adjustable pulley mounted on the lower end of the lever, and a rope secured to the lever and engaging said pulleys, substantially as set forth.

7. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a pivoted lever, a spring pivoted to said lever, and a latch, substantially as set forth.

8. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a suitable casing carrying a suitably-j ournaled roller, of a pivoted lever having an enlarged recessed'portion at about its center, a roller journaled in said recessed portion, and a rope connected with the lever and casing for conside of the lever, and a latch, substantially as 10 trolling the speed of descent, substantially as set forth. set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 9. Ina fire-escape, the combination, with a my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 5 suitable easing, of a pivoted lever, rollers presence of two witnesses.

journaled to said lever and easing, said lever MARCUS HENRY ROBE. and easing each having a pulley at its lower Witnesses: end, a rope secured to the lever and engaging EDWARD ROBB,

said pulleys, a spring secured upon the rear HENRY T. BURNS. 

